How Not To Study For Finals
by Writer With Sprite
Summary: Fox wanted Alex to do well on his finals, so Alex said he'd try. Eagle said he'd bribe him, which increased his motivation. The problem is that Eagle didn't tell Alex he'd already given him his bribe... Now complete.
1. I'll Do You One Better

How Not To Study For Finals

Fox wanted Alex to do well on his finals, so Alex said he'd try. Eagle took it one step better and bribed him. The problem? Tom Harris doesn't know how to study for finals.

Dedicated to SamayouTamashi, who is studying for quarter finals. Good luck!

## break ##

Alex Rider glared at his I.M. He couldn't believe it. Of course, when he was studying for his finals, he had to get started receiving messages from Tom. He didn't know what Tom had been up too in the past week, but Tom had chosen now to reply.

TOMBOREDNOW: Hey, Alex! I just got back from my trip with Jerry. What's up?

RIDERSPY9: Why didn't you respond sooner? Or let anyone know you were going, like, say, your teachers? Finals are this next week, Tom!

TOMBOREDNOW: Aw. Crap. Well, my grades are already high, right?

RIDERSPY9: *Not even dignifying that with a response.*

Alex flickered over to his other window, where he was working on typing up his essay. He wanted to talk to Tom, really, he did. It would be such a nice diversion from his homework. But Fox was really pushing him, much more so than Jack ever had, and he wanted – no, he needed – to get good grades this time.

Or Eagle would make sure he never lived it down.

TOMBOREDNOW: I'm tired. I don't want to study.

TOMBOREDNOW: Do I have to study?

RIDERSPY9: It would be a good idea…

TOMBOREDNOW: I want to just go to bed.

RIDERSPY9: Then go to bed and stop bothering me!

Another ten words typed on his essay. Sure, he had all weekend to study, but Eagle had actually bribed him if he could get his last mid-quarter final paper done before Friday. And he admittedly wanted to see how Eagle would make Wolf mad.

TOMBOREDNOW: I don't know why you're studying.

RIDERSPY9: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

TOMBOREDNOW: I don't think anything you said would surprise me anymore.

RIDERSPY9: Then why were you so surprised that organ harvesters wanted my eyes?

TOMBOREDNOW: I think that the key phrase here is "anymore."

RIDERSPY9: I'm trying to finish this paper, Tom. Can you talk to me in the morning?

TOMBOREDNOW: That depends. First, it depends whether I'll still _be_ here in the morning. After all, a huge earthquake could happen between now and then. Secondly, I have to put up with my parents and they have to decide to allow me out the door…

RIDERSPY9: Tom, the time they didn't let you out the door was when you had a 100 degree fever and you were muttering incoherent things in your sleep.

TOMBOREDNOW: It would have made things more interesting!

RIDERSPY9: Look, Tom, I know this will surprise you –

TOMBOREDNOW: I thought I said nothing could surprise me.

RIDERSPY9: But I actually want to finish this paper. Eagle's going to make Wolf mad if I do.

TOMBOREDNOW: Well, that shouldn't take much. Move a paper clip on the table, punch him in the face…

RIDERSPY9: And I happen to know that Kirkland my teacher will kick my ass if I don't get this in. I want to stay on football.

TOMBOREDNOW: So how is Eagle going to make Wolf mad? I'm assuming he's aiming to make him more upset than usual, right?

RIDERSPY9: I can't tell you.

TOMBOREDNOW: Why not? I wouldn't warn Wolf. Actually, I wouldn't get in a thousand feet of Wolf.

RIDERSPY9: Because Wolf is standing over my shoulder… wondering why I'm not working on my homework.

_*Closes IM_*

"Nice timing, Wolf," he said as he went back to his paper.

"Why don't you just sign off?" Wolf asked. "And what did Eagle bribe you with, anyway? He won't tell me."

Alex let out a loose grin. "Trust me, Wolf, it's much better that he doesn't."

"Right, spyboy," Wolf responded with a roll of his eyes. "I'm going to bed."

"So early?" Alex called after him.

"It's after nine, and I have to get up at three. So, yes, _so early_."

Alex grinned as Wolf left the room, flipping open his cell phone and sending Eagle a text:

_The target is heading to bed._

Eagle sent one back just as quickly.

_I hope you get this paper done, Cub, because I've already made good on my promise._

Wolf let out a holler and a yell, and within two seconds, Alex heard, "Cub, you'd better get the hell back here…"


	2. Gift giving

Alex coughed, wondering if he could kill Eagle without leaving any forensic evidence, and made his way to Wolf's room. "What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing his eyes as if he was sleepy. He was wide awake, though, and was just hoping to get through tonight without any catastrophic wrath being inflicted upon him.

"There is a _cat_ in my bedroom," Wolf said, pointing at the cat that was resting on his bed. The cat stared up at him, with a "pitiful please" expression. It already had a collar. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Only that I'm guessing that Eagle can tell you far more," Alex responded, raking his hands through his hair. "Uhm, is Eagle gone for the weekend, and having you pet-sit?" he questioned.

Wolf sighed, grabbing his cell phone and punching in his friend's number, forgetting that he had the SAS member on speed-dial. "I'm going to strangle him," he growled as he looked at his phone as if it was some weird object from outer space.

"Hey, it's Eagle! I'm also known as David!" Eagle's all-too-cheerful voice answered the phone.

"Good to know your real name, bud," Wolf said. His voice was slightly teasing, then it switched. "Uh, do you happen to know anything about the cat on my bed?"

"Oh, the cat on your bed?" Eagle said. "Hmm. I might know something about that. Maybe. Conceivably. Of course, this is all pure conjuncture."

With that, Alex sat on Wolf's bed, petting the cat gently. It was cute. Okay, maybe cute wasn't a guy word to say – he certainly wouldn't describe it that way in front of the K-Unit- - but the cat was cool.

"Eagle…"

"Okay, fine." The man's voice was still incredibly cheerful. "Fox wanted Alex to do really well during finals week. I agreed. I said that if Alex could get most of his paper done tonight, I'd bribe him."

"And you decided to bribe him with a cat?"

"Exactly! Don't worry. Alex has talked to me before about cats and I know he knows how to take care of them. I'll see you later, I shouldn't be seen talking on the phone while driving, and you know my concentration level. Oh, and tell Alex that the cat's supplies are in his bedroom in his closet, alright?"

With that, the phone hung up.

"Well," Wolf said as he closed his eyes, "I found out what Eagle bribed you with."

Alex stared at him innocently as the cat made its way into Alex's lap. "He decided it would be a good idea to buy you a cat."

_Nice going, Eagle_! Alex thought, breaking out into a grin. He'd been dropping subtle hints to the K-Unit that it would be fun to have an animal into the house. Fox had said absolutely no dogs, so the next best thing would be a cat.

Cat on Wolf's bed = way to make Wolf mad + get Alex a present.

"Awesome," Alex said as he picked the cat up. "Well, that explains why Eagle put cat supplies in my closet. I was beginning to think he'd lost his mind."

Wolf grinned and ran his hand over the cat's hair. "What are you going to name it? Please don't name it Eagle, whatever you do. We already have enough trouble in the house."

"Oh, I won't name it Eagle." Alex had seen the cat's mischievous grin and knew exactly what to call it. "I'm going to name it Trouble."

Alex was pretty certain that Wolf had yelled _"Cub_" loud enough for everyone to hear it outside.


End file.
